A young girl chewed through her restraints, to escape a rural Alabama home, where investigators later found two decomposing bodies.
José Paulino Pascual-Reyes, 37, is facing kidnapping charges and multiple counts of capital murder in connection to the bodies found at the home after a 12-year-old girl was discovered walking along a roadside early Monday in Dadeville.
Tallapoosa County Sheriff Jimmy Abbett told reporters at a press conference that a driver picked up the girl and called 911. This set off an investigation that led to Pascual-Reyes’ arrest and the gruesome discovery.
Pascual-Reyes, who remains jailed pending a bond hearing, was arrested in Auburn.
The bodies were found in his Dadeville home, not far from where the girl was discovered wandering alone.
The decomposing remains have been sent to the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences to be identified. Abbott said, “It’s unclear how long the bodies had been there.”
“It’s a fluid investigation,” the sheriff told reporters. “Things are changing, and I don’t want to jeopardize the identification of our juvenile.”
Court filings show the girl had been tied to bedposts for nearly a week. She was assaulted and plied with alcohol, but managed to escape by chewing through her restraints.
Authorities did not indicate whether the girl knew Pascual-Reyes. “I would say she’s a hero,” Abbett said. “It’s one of those things we won’t get into until later. We gave her medical attention. She is safe now. We want to keep her that way.”
Pascual-Reyes had lived at the home since February, Abbett said. Other people were there when cops arrived, but he did not elaborate. “It’s horrendous to have a crime scene of this nature,” the sheriff said.
Brave girl! Thank God she was able to get away. What were the other people doing there? Thankful this man was caught!